In the Julian Prealps - Prealpi Giulie

From Lake Faak in Carinthia, head southwest to the 1,071 m high Wurzenpass. There you cross from Austria into Slovenia. Shortly before the border, a detour to the Bunker Museum is worthwhile, an 11,400 m2 open area with original defense installations and military-technical collections that Austria had at its disposal during the "Cold War." The stay in Slovenia is only short because just a few kilometers after Podkoren near Kranjska Gora, you leave Slovenia and reach Italy. Between Kranjska Gora and Tarvis, there are two great natural monuments: the nature reserve Zelenci and the Laghi di Fusine / Weißenfelser Lakes. At Tarvis, continue towards Sella Nevea, a 1,195 m high mountain pass in the Julian Alps. In winter, there is also a small cross-border ski area between Italy and Slovenia. Spirited hairpin bends now lead down again through the Val Raccolana, and in Chiusaforte, you reach the Fella Valley / Valle della Fella, also called Eisental / Canal del Ferro. Continue southwards; Moggio Udinese with its widely visible Abbey San Gallo is certainly worth a stop. You should also visit Venzone. This town was almost completely destroyed in the severe earthquake in May 1976 but was rebuilt true to the original in the following years. Venzone is also known for its lavender products. Lavender is grown in and around Venzone, and the oils, salves, or soaps made from it are sold in several shops in town. Another highlight nearby is the House of Butterflies / La Casa delle Farfalle in Bordano, where you can admire more than 400 species of butterflies from around the world. Now you come to the highlight of the route: Gemona del Friuli. Like Venzone, this town was completely destroyed on May 6, 1976, and in the subsequent aftershocks. The earthquake reached a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale, and 965 people died. But here too, almost everything was rebuilt true to the original, so especially the old town, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and Gemona Castle are worth a visit.

Before or after the Gemona stay, for the very daring, an ascent to Malga Cuarnan is a real insider tip. About 11.5 km goes over many switchbacks up to about 1,000 meters elevation, where in the summer months a managed alpine hut, the Malga Cuarnan, awaits hungry and thirsty guests. However, you cannot drive directly to the hut but must tackle the approx. 1.5 km on foot from the last parking lot. The road itself is toll-free, but the rough asphalt, often covered with sand and gravel, is in very poor condition.

With or without a detour to Malga Cuarnan, continue into the hinterland of Gemona del Friuli. Immediately after the short tunnel at the eastern town exit, turn left onto Via IV Novembre and then drive about 20 km through the individual quaint districts of the municipality of Montenars. You will reach nicely named villages such as Santa Maria Maddalena, and the church square in Stella should definitely be used for a short panoramic view. Finally, you arrive in Tarcento, where you can feel the long-past Belle Époque, for example in the publicly accessible Villa Moretti. From Tarcento now head north through the Val Torre to the heart of the Julian Prealps. At 851 m above sea level, you reach the Passo di Tanamea and then continue to Uccea. You remain in Italy and turn left there, heading northwest to the 1,092 m high Sella Carnizza. From this pass, it goes down into the Resia Valley / Val Resia, known for its intense Resian garlic and the traditional craft of scissor sharpening. In the town of Resiutta in the Kanaltal / Val Canale, the Resia Valley ends. Now head north again. Past the already familiar Chiusaforte, the route leads to Pontebba, which until 1919 marked the border of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy with Italy. The SS13 (strada statale) then continues over Malborghetto to Tarvis / Tarvisio, the main town in the Kanaltal / Val Canale.